I'm not a food critique, just a food lover and shares the joy with others out there....Please do note that taste is a matter of individual opinion and can differ from one to another. All views expressed here are purely based on my taste buds and preferences......

Saturday, 28 March 2015

Ori-Udon @ The Garden's Mall, Kuala Lumpur

Many people often relate Sanuki Udon with a name of a restaurant in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur but not many are aware that it is the name of a particular type of Udon (Japanese Noodles) that originates from the Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku Region in Japan. It generally has an appearance of a thick, squarish shape noodles and with flat edges unlike the usual Udon's. Sanuki Udon was named after the previous name of Kagawa Prefacture, which was then known as Sanuki Province. One such place that sells some great Sanuki Udon is Ori-Udon which is located on the Lower Ground Floor of Garden's Mall in Kuala Lumpur.

Ori-Udon in Garden's Mall, Kuala Lumpur

Simple Restaurant

Simple and Practical Layout

Located Opposite Tai Lei Loi Kee

A Write Up On This Place

This restaurant is located on the Lower Ground Floor of Garden's Mall, just opposite Tai Lei Loi Kee. The place is simple and the layout is very practical. I was here late this afternoon for a tea time snack and the place was not too crowded. I am quite certain that being one of those places that serve great handmade Sanuki Udon's, this place has got to be quite crowded during peak hours. The service was very prompt and the moment I walked in, I was greeted in Japanese and then one of the waiters came up to my table and handed me a set of menu's to go through. While he was waiting by my side, I asked for a couple of minutes to go through the menu and said that I would call him in a matter of minutes once I was ready to order. Well, the actual fact was that I wanted to photograph the menu and that would seem a little odd with him standing by my side. That's why I dismissed him.

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

Simple Illustration On How The Noodles Are Made

A Brief Of The Place

It was good to read that this place had a collaboration in place with Fujimoto-san (who is the owner of the famous Sanuki Udon outlet in Taman Desa) and that gave an assurance that these handmade Sanuki Udon's had surely ought to be up to the mark.

Set Menu's

Set Menu's

Set Menu's

Set Menu's

The menu was simple, a handful of selections which seemed sufficient in itself. They serve both hot and cold Udon here. Prices were very reasonable, in fact I feel that this must be one of the cheapest places to dine in Garden's Mall. They had both stand alone dishes as well as sets that were designed to be better value for money. Do note that this place is a Pork Free restaurant. They do not have the Halal status as they serve alcohol (Sake) on premise. The food however, is all alcohol and pork free. Having decided on what to have, I then called upon the waiter to place my orders.

Ocha (Hot) @ RM 1.80

Being in a Japanese Restaurant, it would surely seem odd to have Coca Cola and so I went for their Green Tea. They had both hot and cold servings and this glass of hot Green Tea was priced at RM 1.80 . A slight premium for the location, however it seemed very reasonable to me. The tea too was quite good, not the very bold variety and it was just nice. I would rate this tea at 9/10 .

House Special (Hot) @ RM 7.90

House Special (Hot) @ RM 7.90

I was very keen to try their House Specialty dish. This was available both hot and cold but I generally do not fancy cold dishes and therefore went for the hot one. This was priced at RM 7.90 and it came with a decent portion of Sanuki Udon, an egg, some vegetables and some 'Dashi' broth at the base.

Eggy Porn

Just look at those runny eggs. They were just awesome! That is exactly how it should be for this dish! Excellent preparation!

All Mixed Up

Bouncy Noodles

Having stirred all the ingredients, it was now time to enjoy the dish. The noodles were so tasty and it was bouncy and soft. Simply perfect Sanuki Udon! One of the best Sanuki Udon's that I have tasted in Malaysia!

Eggy and Milky Broth

Add To Taste

Overall, it was such a perfect dish and a true delight to Udon fans. Everything was just perfect! The Udon, the runny eggs....and the broth, a combination that was power packed. Thoroughly enjoyed the dish and I would definitely agree when one says that these guys have one of the best Sanuki Udon's in the country. I would rate this dish at 10/10 .

Karaage @ RM 5.00

Karaage @ RM 5.00

Closer Look At The Fried Chicken

A Good Sauce Too

I also ordered a plate of their Karaage which is the Japanese Style Fried Chicken and this was priced at RM 5.00 and came with three pieces. The Karaage was nice but it was not as great as their Udon. I have definitely tasted much better one's elsewhere. The marination was good but as I went deeper into the meat chunks, it started losing it's taste and character. Nevertheless, it was still good and I would rate this at 7.5/10 .

My Bill

In summary, this place definitely has some awesome Sanuki Udon's! The Karaage was good but it was nothing to shout about. Reasonable prices and excellent Sanuki Udon's. Definitely a place that I would recommend!